DEKALB — There are plenty of reasons why Northern Illinois head coach Rod Carey and this year’s Huskies feel as if they need a strong start — and a win — in Thursday’s season-opening home matchup with Presbyterian.

Some of the biggest: To forget last year’s finish, to build some momentum and to erase doubts.

With Northwestern, UNLV and Arkansas coming up in the next three weeks, NIU knows the importance of not slipping up against a team in a rebuilding stage that’s coming to their house.

“I just think getting off to a fast start is a premium,” Carey said. “More football games are lost than won, especially in the first game... Getting off to a fast start can really make a lot of things a lot easier.”

To do that it will take a win over a Presbyterian team that was bumped up to the Division I level, now called FBS, in 2007. They open the season with four straight FBS opponents, starting with NIU, and the Blue Hose are 1-6 in season openers since the move up.

Neither the numbers, nor the fact that they will be leaning heavily on underclassmen, is enough to make the NIU players look past this game.

“Because of the success we’ve had, every team is going to give us their best shot,” safety Dechane Durante said. “So we have to come to play. Last year Eastern Illinois came in here and gave us their best shot, and almost stole it from us.”

The Huskies pulled out a 43-39 win over EIU — an FCS team — in Week 3 last season, and they eventually built a 12-game winning streak that ended with losses in the Mid-American Championship game and the Poinsettia Bowl.

“I really believe they are a fine football team,” Carey said of Presbyterian. “It’s going to be a good game and a good test to see where we are at as a football team.”

They will unveil red-shirt freshman running back Darrell Bridges Thursday, as well as showcase sophomore quarterback Heys McMath, who was pulled out of a red-shirt situation midway through last season to become the starter.

The defense, which was greatly improved last season, will get 2012 all-conference linebacker Donelle Willams back after he missed most of 2013 with an injury. It’s task is a bit more muddled facing an NIU offense that has yet to name a starting quarterback.

NIU’s task, on the other hand, is not.

“Whatever it takes to get a win,” Huskie linebacker Ladell Fleming said. “I’ve had a sour taste in my mouth since we started spring ball and into the summer. I’m just ready to get back on the field and win again.”